Rufus Wainwright to perform in Sonoma

King of ‘popera' brings his lush sounds to Sonoma|

Sunday night marks the first visit to Sonoma by the musician Elton John once called, 'the greatest songwriter on the planet.' Rufus Wainwright will perform outside under the stars at the Gundlach Bundschu Winery hillside amphitheater.

Wainwright has released seven studio albums, three live albums, and been nominated for a Grammy. He has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music world (David Byrne, Boy George, Joni Mitchell and the Pet Shop Boys among others), and written songs for several notable film soundtracks. He has also acted in a few films, and led a colorful life that had occasionally landed him on the gossip pages.

Wainwright is one of those artists who people get excited about, even if some would-be attendees can't actually name any of his songs. Ticket sales for Sunday night have been brisk and, reached via email from a tour date in Japan, Wainwright said he's looking forward to his first visit to Sonoma.

Wainwright first gained acclaim when his self-titled debut was released in 1998 and Rolling Stone cited it among the best albums of the year, and named Wainwright 'Best New Artist.'

Recent releases include 2012's 'Rufus Wainwright: Live from the Artists Den,' which captured a live performance in New York City, and 'Vibrate: The Best of Rufus Wainwright,' a career-spanning collection that came out in 2014.

The child of two folk singers, Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, he was born to perform, and growing up he frequently toured with his sister, mother and aunt. Today, he often performs with his sister, Martha Wainwright, on backup vocals, though his concert in Sonoma is a solo show.

In addition to singing, Wainwright often switches between piano and guitar when performing live. Whether his music is described as 'popera' (pop opera) or baroque pop, his songs are densely packed with everything from strings and horns to operatic choruses and disco vibes.

His greatest musical passion these days, however, is for liberettos. His debut opera, 'Prima Donna' was released today in North America. He has been commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company to write his second opera, 'Hadrian,' which will premiere in 2018. When asked why young music fans today should be open to opera, he said simply, and seemingly seriously, 'Because no one will try and sell you a pair of sneakers during an opera.'

Beyond opera, he mentions the Brooklyn indie pop band Miniature Tigers among his current musical favorites.

Wainwright's life has been as colorful as his sometimes flamboyant stage costumes. He came out as gay in his teens and in 2012, he married his partner Jorn Weisbrodt.

Wainwright also has a daughter, Viva, with Leonard Cohen's daughter, Lorca. He is frequently on the road, and he arrives in Sonoma fresh off a plane from Japan, before heading to Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal in the coming weeks.

Tickets for Wainwright's Sunday show are $40 to $65 and can be bought in advance at http://folkyeah.com/#/rwsonoma2015/ or at the door. The 'all ages' show starts at 6 p.m. and gates open at 4 p.m.

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